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Rose M. (Matarese) Conti, 91, of 356 Shore Road, Westerly, died Thursday afternoon at The Carriage House of The Elms in Westerly after an extended illness.
She was the wife of John R. Conti whom she was married to for 62 years. Mr. Conti died January 7, 2001.
Born in Westerly, she was the daughter of Aniello Matarese and Mary (Sorrentino) Matarese. She attended Westerly schools and was a graduate of the Academy of the Holy Family in Baltic and Brown's Business School on New York.
Long active in civic affairs, she was a former president of both the YMCA Garden Cub and the Pawcatuck ValleyWomen's Club. She also served as a volunteer at the Westerly Hospital and the Naples, Fla Hospital where she and her husband maintained a winter home.
An accomplished oil and water color artist, she taught art and was the the chairwoman of the Wilcox Park Art Festival. She was a literary volunteer at the Westerly Public Library.
She is survived by a daughter, Dale P. Reilly of Germantown, MD; a son and daughter-in-law, John N. and Beverly (Adams) Conti of Westerly, a sister, Lola Wein of Florida and a brother, Andrew Matarese of Westerly, and 5 grandchildren. She was predeceased by her son-in-law, Frank Reilly.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at St. Michael the Archangel Church, Pawcatuck on Monday at 12noon. The family will greet relatives and friends at Venice 165 Shore Road, Westerly immediately following the mass. Burial will be private in St. Michael's New Cemetery. There are no visiting hours.
Donations in Mrs. Conti's memory may be made to The Westerly Public Library, Westerly RI 02891. The family has chosen The Dinoto Funeral Home, 17 Pearl Street, Historic downtown Mystic, to assist them with the arrangements